Thanks for the hospitality, Ezra. Thanks, especially, to the commenters for great observations and corrections. The combination of anonymity, spontaneity, and immaturity render many comment threads a depressing and toxic brew. Not here. I’m grateful that readers here care about public health, not merely healthcare delivery.

One final Polonius-like note:
For the past eight years, our presidential administration ignored or rejected scientific consensus in critical matters: climate change, syringe exchange, condoms, abstinence-only education, the health impact of environmental pollutants, and much more. Many people in the reality-based scientific, medical, environmental, and public health communities are breathing a sigh of relief that the Obama administration appears committed to evidence-informed policy. By all means, let’s collectively exhale. Then let's be sure to hold progressives to the same high scientific standards many of us wanted to apply to President Bush....